Fence-machine.



No. 739,520 PAT'BN TED. SEPT. 22, 1903.

' W. W. THOMPSON.

FENCE MACHINE.

I APPLICATION FILED EAR. 13, 1903 N0 MODEL.

THE Nunms wnzns co., momuwoxwsmnumm u. c.

UNITE STATES i Patented September 22, 1908. I

WILLIAMW. THOMPSON, or .BUOHTEL, onto.

FEN C E MA Cil-ll NE.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 739,520, dated September 22, 1903.

Application filed March 13,1903. smart. 147,629. (No modem To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIA'M W. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States,residin g at B uchtel, in the county of Athens'and State of Ohio,

haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence*Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and

exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fence construction, and more particularly to the construction of a paling fence held together by wires; and my.

invention consists of certain novel features of combination and construction of parts, the

preferred form whereof will be hereinafter clearly set forth,and pointed .out in the claims.

The object of my invention, among others, is to provide a fence-building machine which will reliably twist any desired number of wires to the proper degree of tension, whereby palings, rods, or other form of uprights may be interwoven with the wire in such a manner that the finished fence will present a strong resistance to all kinds of stock and will also be desirable and attractive in'appearance.

A further object of my invention is to provide simple though reliablyefficient means for disposing the palings at any preferred distance apart, whereby they will be securely united when a proper extentof twisting has been placed upon the wires.

Other objects and advantages will be here-v inafter made clearly apparent,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, made a part of this application, and in which- Figure 1 shows my invention and a section of a fence formed thereby. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of my wiretwisting machine. Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a top plan view on a slightly enlarged scale from that presented in the other views. Fig. 5'is a detail showing a clamp employed to give the desired degree of tension to the fence-wires, while Fig. 6 shows a varied form of construction which may be adopted in affordin g adjustable means for certain. parts of my machine. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view as seen from the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. 3;:and Fig.8 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, as seen from the dotted line 8 8 in Fig. 3.

In referring to the various details of my in- Vention and parts required to show a practical applicationthereof touse, numerals will be employed, the same numeral referring to a similar part throughout the several views. In the drawings, 1 and 2 show fence-posts, of the usual or any preferred construction, properly anchored in the ground and provided with suitable strands of wire 3, each strand being composed of two wires. wires are stretched to the desired degree of tension along the line of fence after first being extended through apertures 4 or 5, as the case may be, provided in the rotating twist ing-wheels 6, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The wheels 6 are sprocket-wheels in form, having a plurality of teeth adapted to be engaged by an endless sprocket-chain 7, which is operatively disposed around the upper and lower sprocket-wheels 8 and 9, respectively, mount- ,ed in suitable bearings provided in the ends ,of the frame-section l0.

. The sprocket-wheel 8 is provided with a stub-shaft,.upon which is secured the beveled gear 11, which meshes with the driving-gear 12, secured to the shaft 13, which latter finds bearings in the brackets or extensions 14. ,The shaft 13 is drivenby means of a suitable handle 15, and it is therefore obviousthat the sprocket-wheel 8 and the chain carried thereby may be driven in either direction, as preferred, by the operator. The sprocketchain 7 extends downward on the inner side of the frame-section 10 in suitable grooves or ways to hold the chain against lateral movement, said ways being indicated by the numeral 16 in Fig. 3. The wire-twisting wheels or sprockets 6 are disposed so that their peripheral edges will be received between the guides 16 and also engaged by a contiguous part of the sprocket-chain 7, and it is there.

fore obvious that since each of the twisting sprocket-wheels 6 will be engaged upon opposite sides by said chain said wheels will be rotated, but otherwise not bodily moved, thus maintaining their respective positions where originally located in the frame. It is obvious that by having the sprocket-chain 7 travel in the grooves 16, and thus obviate the necessity of other retaining mechanism to control the lateral movement of the wheels 6, said wheels may be adjusted to any point upon the chain and any number of wheels used, according to the number of strands employed. It will further be seen that the periphery of the wheels 6 will serve to keep the chain 7 within the grooves 16 at all times. When, therefore, the handle 15 is turned, the wire-twisting wheels 6 will be simultaneously rotated in the same direction, inasmuch as they may be driven either positively or reversely, as preferred, by the operator, theresult being that the wires passing through the apertures 4 or 5 will be twisted, and thus permanently incorporated together, the twisted sections whereof are indicated by the numeral 17 in Fig. 1.

The frame-section 10 is provided atits lower end with carrying-wheels l8, and in order that the machine may be conveniently moved along as it is used in building the fence a board or the like 19 is employed, upon which the wheels 18 travel during the process of fence formation.

In order to afiord a reliable means whereby the operator may provide a uniform degree of twisting to each of the wires, I provide a pair of adjustable brackets 20, consisting of a simple bar extending across preferably from side to side of the machine, each end of which is carried by a threaded bolt 21, which fits a suitable aperture or hearing provided in the frame, and in order that the bracket 20 may move inward or outward I provide the opening or slot 22 in the frame-section l0 and locate in said opening and upon the bolt 21 an adjusting-nut 23, and it is therefore obvious that by simply turning said nut the bracket 20 may be moved in or out, as desired. I also provide as a tension device for the wires the means illustrated in Fig. 5 and consisting of an upright 24, provided with a plural ity of bolts 25, said bolts being threaded and extending entirely through the upright 2st and through the plates 25 and 27. The plate 26 is provided with a pair of transverse recesses 28, in which the wires are designed to rest, and in order to force the plate against said wires in said recesses to the proper degree of tension 1 provide the coiled spring 29, disposed around the threaded end of the bolt 25 and held in place by the washer 30. I then place the thumb-nut 31 upon the end of the bolt and turn the same home thereon to the desired extent, and the result will bethat the coiled spring 29 will be compressed and its tension brought to bear against the plate 27, causing said plate to tightly press against the wires in the recesses 28, as will be obvious. The plate 27 is'held against turning by means of the stud 32, which is secured rigidly thereto and passes through an aperture provided in the plate 26 and extending into the upright 24. By securing the upright 24 in place against a post, as shown in Fig. 1, the thumbnnts may be tightened to any desired degree, thereby insuring that a proper degree of tension will be imparted to the fence-wires as the fence is being builded, inasmuch as the wire as needed during the twisting process will be pulled through the recesses 28 under a greater or less tension, according to the amount of pressure placed upon the spring by the thumb-nut 31.

While I have described the preferred combination and construction of parts deemed necessary to carry out my invention, I desire to comprehend such equivalents and substitutes as may be considered as falling fairly within the scope of my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Theherein-describedfence-building1nachine comprising the combination with a suitable frame, of sprocket-wheels carried in opposite ends thereof; a sprocket-chain passint, around said wheels; a plurality of wiretwisting wheels carried by said chain; guideways provided in the inner edges of the frame adapted to receive said chain and the peripheral edge of said wheels, whereby said parts will be held against lateral movement, and suitable driving mechanism for said chain and wheels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a fence-building machine, the combination with a frame having longitudinal guideways in the inner faces thereof, of sprocket-wheels carried in opposite ends of said frame; a sprocket-chain passingaround said wheels and adapted to be bodily received within said grooves; a plurality of wiretwisting wheels, wholly supported by said chain, said wheels and chain being held against lateral movement through the mediation of said grooves, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a fence-building machine, the combination with a suitable frame having grooves in the inner faces thereof, of asprocket-chain traveling in said grooves; wire twisting wheels wholly supported by said chain and whereby said chain is held in said grooves, and means to actuate said chain, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a fence-building machine, the combination with a suitable frame having longitudinal slots 22, and also having apertures extending laterally through said frame and centrally intersecting said slots, of. adjustable inwardly and outwardly as desired, substanbrackets 20 having threaded bolt extensions tially as and for the purpose set forth. [0 21 adapted to enter said apertures and nuts In testimony whereof I aflix my signature located in said slots to receive the threaded in presence of two witnesses.

v 5 ends of said bolt extensions, the side walls 7 WILLIAM W. THOMPSON.

of said slots serving as jarns for said nuts Witnesses: whereby, when said nuts are rotated, said J. H. BLACKSTONE, brackets and bolt extensions may be moved IRA BLACKSTON. 

